I attended a work conference this week at Sydney’s Interntional Conference Center, which turns out to be next door to the Chinese Garden of Friendship. This is cultural ambassador type thing showing off some Chinese themed decorations, but more to the point, I’d heard it had some bonsai displays. On the one hand, it’s early winter, which is not a great time for bonsai. On the other, Sydney is fairly warm even into June – my Victorian plants have entered winter-mode, but not so much here. On the gripping hand, I was there and had had enough conference action. So I slipped out of the conference over lunch and took a peak.
Bonsai Display 1
The first display area is immediately after the entrance.
Landscaping
The whole garden is carefully landscaped to look like China. (The effect was spoiled on the day since construction work nearby had a jackhammer going most of the time we were there.)
Omono and Hachi-yue Bonsai
Scattered around the part were some larger bonsai – between 4 and 6 feet, but definitely styled to look like full size trees, or at least like a bonsai interpretation of a full sized tree. Time to learn some terms.
Critters
Have some snapshots of assorted wildlife in the park.
There were also rather large koi in most of the streams, which I did not attempt to photgraph.
Stone features
The garden also has a series of stone decorations, a mix of clearly constructed and allegedly natural.
Bamboo Forest
One corner of the garden was given over to a black bamboo forest.
Bonsai Display 2
This display is at the other end of the circuit, just before the restaurant.
Wrapup
We had lunch at the Chinese restaurant just after the second bonsai display, which was all right but overpriced, especially considering it’s $12 just to get into the grounds.
The bonsais were fair, but felt a little unkempt, which is probably fair for a winter display.
Official site here.